2012 U.S. presidential election
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===[[Mitt Romney]]=== | ===[[Mitt Romney]]=== | ||
| + | Age: {{Age|1947|3|12}}, former governor of Massachusetts | ||
*'''Advantages''': Can appeal to moderates and independents; charismatic; significant executive experience; as the "runner-up" for the 2008 nomination he is automatically considered a favorite; could potentially put Michigan and even Massachusetts in play for the Republicans, major states the Republicans have not won in decades | *'''Advantages''': Can appeal to moderates and independents; charismatic; significant executive experience; as the "runner-up" for the 2008 nomination he is automatically considered a favorite; could potentially put Michigan and even Massachusetts in play for the Republicans, major states the Republicans have not won in decades | ||
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===[[Ron Paul]]=== | ===[[Ron Paul]]=== | ||
| + | Age: {{Age|1935|8|20}}, Congressman from Texas's 14th District | ||
*'''Advantages''': has a very loyal following, particularly among a branch of the Tea Party; is less of an establishment candidate in an anti-establishment climate; has remained relatively consistent in his political views (i.e. has not had the problem of criticizing Obama for doing things he praised Bush for doing, as he was critical of Bush all along) | *'''Advantages''': has a very loyal following, particularly among a branch of the Tea Party; is less of an establishment candidate in an anti-establishment climate; has remained relatively consistent in his political views (i.e. has not had the problem of criticizing Obama for doing things he praised Bush for doing, as he was critical of Bush all along) | ||
Revision as of 20:08, 14 September 2010
Contents |
Barack Obama and reelection
Other Democratic candidates
Republican
Currently gay activist Fred Karger is the only candidate running for the Republicans, but he has no chance. Many of the candidates below are going to run once the election actually starts
Sarah Palin
Age: 51, former Governor of Alaska
- Advantages: Well known; a great fundraiser; viewed as strong social conservative; has a very loyal following, particularly among fundamentalist Christians and a branch of the Tea Party.
- Disadvantages: Not viewed favorably among even the majority of Republicans, let alone the general populace; viewed as not very bright (to be generous); very poor showings when off script; quit her job as governor halfway through one term; little experience
Haley Barbour
Age: 67, 63rd Governor of Mississippi
- Disadvantages: Not well known outside his home state of Mississippi, which is a safe Republican state already
Rick Perry
Age: 65, 47th Governor of Texas
- Disadvantages: Has made some seemingly pro-secession statements which are likely to hurt him outside of Texas and parts of the South
Jeb Bush
Age: 62, former 43rd Governor of Florida
- Advantages: Well known; executive experience; former Governor of Florida, a key state for both parties
- Disadvantages: The Bush name is still not a popular brand
Rick Santorum
Age: 56, Ex Senator from Pennsylvania.
- Advantages: his home state has 20 electoral votes, and though considered a swing state it hasn't been won by a Republican since George H.W. Bush in 1988
- Disadvantages: his name recognition is for all the wrong reasons; lost badly seeking his third term in the Senate in 2006
Mike Huckabee
Age: 59, former governor of Arkansas
Last election, Mike Huckabee won RationalWiki's ironic endorsement for the Republican nomination. Can he do it again this year? Or is his new job at Fox News too comfortable?
- Advantages: charismatic - his fundamentalism is masked by his demeanor, making him less Falwell-like than he might otherwise be; executive experience; appeal to the religious right
- Disadvantages: Appeal to moderates and independents is uncertain; that, as governor of Arkansas, he had freed a convict who later killed a policeman in Washington[1] could hurt him with the "law and order" Republicans
Mitt Romney
Age: 68, former governor of Massachusetts
- Advantages: Can appeal to moderates and independents; charismatic; significant executive experience; as the "runner-up" for the 2008 nomination he is automatically considered a favorite; could potentially put Michigan and even Massachusetts in play for the Republicans, major states the Republicans have not won in decades
- Disadvantages: Too moderate for many Republicans, particularly in the current political climate; has flip-flopped on several key conservative issues (notably abortion); his Mormonism may or may not be a factor against him; his state health care plan for Massachusetts looks an awful lot like "Obamacare"
Ron Paul
Age: 79, Congressman from Texas's 14th District
- Advantages: has a very loyal following, particularly among a branch of the Tea Party; is less of an establishment candidate in an anti-establishment climate; has remained relatively consistent in his political views (i.e. has not had the problem of criticizing Obama for doing things he praised Bush for doing, as he was critical of Bush all along)
- Disadvantages: still not as well known as other candidates - the highest office he's attained is Congressman (one out of 435; the last person elected President from the House was Garfield in 1880); his outsider stance and libertarianism do not have widespread appeal among standard Republican voters; is one of the oldest candidates
Tim Pawlenty
- Advantages: Some appeal to moderates; executive experience; could deliver Minnesota's 10 electoral votes to the Republicans - a state they have not won since 1972; was on the shortlist for VP in 2008, giving him some credibility
- Disadvantages: Not too well known nationally;
Newt Gingrich
- Advantages: has been more of an "ideas man" than platitude shouter (which could actually work to his disadvantage); high name recognition; seen as the architect of the 1994 Republican sweep (which was likely too long ago to matter much to today's voters)
- Disadvantages: has had high disapproval numbers; has issues with "values voters" over his multiple divorces, and the circumstances under which the happened; has not held an elected office outside of Georgia's 6th Congressional District (though Speaker of the House is a very important office); still has some baggage from his tenure as speaker; might be spoiling his appeal to moderates as he wades in to the culture wars in an attempt to win over Tea Partiers
Bobby Jindal
- Advantages: Currently has high approval ratings as governor of Louisiana; as a minority can help Republicans escape the image as being the party of rich white guys, potentially appealing to ethnic minorities
- Disadvantages: Not presidential in demeanor - his response to Obama's address to Congress in 2009 was widely ridiculed as both childish and insincere (may have been his very early "Dean Scream"); claims he isn't running (but who really believes that?)
Third parties
Libertarian: Wayne Allyn Root
Green: Unknown
Constitution: Unknown
Ralph Nader. But of course Ralph Nader again.